After the success of last year’s The Big Opera Adventure, comes The Big Opera Mystery. Once again all the stops had been pulled out and we (me and the other kids) were treated to an hour of crime busting, to detect who the villain was in a spate of thefts. It was obvious from the start that the culprit was a professional with a vivid imagination and a lot of heavy lifting gear. But who could it be?

Frazer Scott as the Chief of Police and Julia Mariko as Despina

The object of the exercise, apart from a lot of sleuthing, was to introduce a young audience to the joys of opera, so the cast was made up, not only of four incredible singers, but also the Orchestra of Opera North, conducted by Jack Ridley. The voices spanned the full range, with Julia Mariko, a soprano – not one of Tony’s mob so don’t let that be a factor, Lauren Young, mezzo, Trystan Llŷr Griffiths, tenor and Frazer Scott, bass. They each took multiple roles except for Ms Mariko who, as Despina, the Police Chief’s gofer and wannabe detective, guided us through the process of law enforcement.

On entering the theatre we were given a Very Important Detective’s Notebook in which there were puzzles to solve, the words to some of the songs we were asked to join in with and a place to make notes to help us remember the clues. It also, handily, acted as a programme with the cast and creatives listed.

No, it’s not a Bananarama tribute band but Lauren Young as Elizabeth I, Julia Mariko, Despina and Trystan Llŷr Griffiths as The Queen of Hearts

All of the thefts were pertinent to several operas and the singers gave us a blast of one of the arias from said works. Despina is from Così fan tutti by Mozart and the Chief of Police was in The Pirates of Penzance, but had an American accent and uniform, hardly what Gilbert and Sullivan had in mind, but it worked, The victims of crime were; The Ringmaster from Smetana’s The Bartered Bride who had had his circus tent half-inched, see what I mean about the lifting gear; The Lighthouse Keeper, who had his light nicked, from The Wreckers by Ethel Smyth, the Queen of Hearts, missing some tarts – and this time it wasn’t the Knave – from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Will Todd and Queen Elizabeth I, a character from Maria Stuarda by Donizetti, was crownless after a visit from the perp.

Anybody got a light? Trystan Llŷr Griffiths asks Julia Mariko if she can illuminate him as to where his light has gone.

There were experts called in to help; Preziosilla, the Fortune-Teller from La forza del destino by Verdi, Badger from Janáček’s Cunning Little Vixen, Cendrillon from the opera of the same name by Viardot, with a great costume change, to go from housemaid Cinderella to the ballgoer and Cavaradossi, an artist, who, like his character in Puccini’s Tosca, is at odds with the police Chief.

Trystan Llŷr Griffiths as the Ringmaster who has lost his big top, wanting to know if anyone has been seen loitering within tent – see what I did there?

The singing, acting and ‘dancing’ was perfectly executed, the former especially got everyone joining in. I felt that the sound could have been boosted when Julia Mariko was speaking as it was a little quiet and caused a bit of fidgeting. I can understand why it couldn’t have been boosted too much as her amazing singing voice was stupendous and would have probably caused more damage to the chandeliers in the auditorium then Rodney and Delboy could ever have done.

The whole show was delightful and there were twists and turns along the way to keep us on our toes, and act as an excuse, as if one was necessary in a theatre full of we sprogs, to do a bit of shouting out and singing.

Trystan Llŷr Griffiths as Cavaradossi, Lauren Young, Preziosilla, the Fortune Teller, Frazer Scott as the Chief of Police and Julia Mariko, Despina

Although only a one-off performance at Leeds Grand, The Big Opera Mystery is moving on to Newcastle Theatre Royal on Saturday, 8th November, Lowry, Salford Quays, on Saturday, 15th and Theatre Royal, Nottingham on 22nd. Kick-off for each performance is at noon. For bookings please click on https://www.operanorth.co.uk/whats-on/the-big-opera-mystery/#book

The work was directed by Jonathan Ainscough with the set and costumes designed by Ben Palmer, both of whom did a splendid job bringing the characters alive.

So, if the Gendarmes de Paris need any help in collaring the tea leaf who legged it with Napoleon’s Crown Jewels – behave! – then I am sure, that for a rather large reward, Opera North would be only too pleased to give them a hand, as would all of us who were in the audience.

Mind how you go.

Photographs by Tom Arber.

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